Many diapausing insects undergo a nutrient storage period prior to their entry into diapause. Bumble bee queens diapause as adults in the winter preceding spring nest initiation period. Before diapause, they sequester glycogen and lipids, which metabolize during overwintering We used RNA sequencing examine how age nectar diet (specifically, concentration of sucrose nectar) impact gene expression pre-overwintering bumble queen fat body, "liver-like" organ with broad functions related...

Abstract Background Evolution has shaped diverse reproductive investment strategies, with some organisms integrating environmental cues into their decisions. In animal societies, social can further influence decisions in ways that might support the survival and success of group. Bumble bees are a lineage eusocial insects wherein queens initiate nests independently. bee enter phase only after successfully rearing first offspring thereafter exhibit an increased rate egg-laying. We tested idea...

Bursicon is a heterodimeric neurohormone that acts through G protein-coupled receptor named rickets (rk), thus inducing an increase in cAMP and the activation of tyrosine hydroxylase, rate-limiting enzyme cuticular tanning pathway. In insects, role bursicon post-ecdysial adult cuticle wing expansion well characterized. Here we investigated roles genes encoding subunits during development honeybee, Apis mellifera. RNAi-mediated knockdown AmBurs α β prevented complete formation...

A primary goal in biology is to understand the effects of multiple, interacting environmental stressors on organisms. Wild and domesticated bees are exposed a wide variety biotic abiotic stressors, with widespread declines floral resources agrochemical exposure being two most important. In this study, we used examinations brain gene expression explore sublethal consequences neonicotinoid pesticide pollen diet composition nest-founding bumble bee queens. We demonstrate for first time that can...

ABSTRACT Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires worldwide. Although are typically viewed as destructive, emerging research suggests they may have benefits for some species, including pollinators. One reason this that can increase floral resource availability in years immediately following burn, potentially creating more favorable conditions pollinator foraging reproduction. In study, we focused on how 2021 KNP Complex Fire impacted bumble bee Bombus vosnesenskii...

We sampled bees of the tribe Euglossini in three close areas within a small region São Paulo state that includes different phytophysiognomies Atlantic Forest biome. Even though are known for flying great distances, there were clear differences composition bee communities, including abundance and richness species at specific points same The area characterized by tropical rainforest was richest fauna this group, followed mixed area, whereas no specimens found nearby high-altitude fields....

Abstract Background The developmental fates of offspring have the potential to be influenced by identity their care-givers and nature care that they receive. In animals exhibit both parental alloparental care, such as annually eusocial insects, influence care-giver can directly assessed yield mechanistic evolutionary insights into origins elaboration brood care. Here, we performed a comparative investigation maternal worker in bumble bees, pollinator group where mothers (queens) rear first...

Climatic differences can directly affect the population structure of organisms. The Northeastern Brazilian covers an area about 1.5 million square kilometres, in which semi-arid part corresponds to approximately 60%. It is probably most vulnerable region climatic variations Brazil. Here, we investigated variability Africanized honey bees different localities from Northeast Brazil during dry season and influence drought periods morphological variation among populations. Analyses were carried...

Bumble bees are an important group of insects that provide essential pollination services as a consequence their foraging behaviors. These driven, in part, by energetic exchanges between flowering plants and individual bees. Thus, it is to examine bumble bee energy metabolism explore how might be influenced external stressors contributing declines global pollinator populations. Two commonly encountered insecticides, such the neonicotinoids, nutritional stress, resulting from deficits pollen...

Bumble bee queens undergo a nutrient storage period prior to entering diapause wherein they sequester glycogen and lipids that are metabolized during overwintering. In the laboratory under optimal food availability conditions, majority of nutrients sequestered first few days adulthood. However, if resources scarce this narrow window time, wild queen bumble bees might be limited in their ability obtain adequate for Here we used experiment examine whether exhibit flexibility timing...

Our aim was to evaluate the occurrence of orchid bees in remnants Atlantic Forest. We sampled specimens from five regions Southeast Brazil, covering three different physiognomies Forest (mixed Araucaria forests with high altitude fields, Semi-deciduous and Rain Forest). The distances between sampling sites ranged 24 746 km. Male attracted by fragrances were actively monthly during one year using entomological nets aromatic traps. A total 1,482 captured, including four genera at least 31...

The evolution of insect sociality has repeatedly involved changes in developmental events and their timing. Here, we propose the hypothesis that loss a canonical regulator moulting metamorphosis, prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH), its receptor, Torso, is associated with bees. Specifically, posit increasing importance social influences on early timing bees led to decreased reliance PTTH, which connects abiotic cues solitary insects. At present, evidence support this includes absence genes...

Abstract In many organisms, habitat affects ecological and genetic diversity and, for certain species, it is expected that a large population should have higher than smaller population. We analysed the genetics of males orchid bee, Eulaema nigrita (Hymenoptera: Apidae) examined links between local abundance with diversity. also investigated impact landscape features on structure, through microsatellite mitochondrial DNA analysis, among populations found across 700 km Brazilian Atlantic...